Theater chair backs and method of cushion assembly



y 11, 1965 A.C- HOVEN ETAL 3,182,377

THEATER CHAIR BACKS AND METHOD OF CUSHION ASSEMBLY Filed NOV. 29, 1963 INVENTOR5 Alfred C. Hazien 0" n alfez' EJY'a'i'dmark TN BY Ala/my 6? Q/www ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,182,377 THEATER CHAIR BACKS AND METHOD OF CUSHION ASSEMBLY Alfred C. Hoven and Walter E. Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., assiguors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 326,840 Claims. (Cl. 29--91.1)

The present invention relates to theater chairs, and to methods of making upholstered seat and back cushions for such chairs.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a novel cushion construction for the seats and backs, and particularly the backs, of chairs of the type commonly installed in theaters, auditoriums and the like; to provide such a construction in which upholstered front panels are fitted into outer shells of molded plastic material and in which said outer shells may be made in difierent widths without the necessity of providing separate molds for each chair width; to provide such a plastic chair back outer shell which has at its top edge a flange which extends forwardly and downwardly over the top margin of the upholstered front panel for shielding the top margin of the upholstery cover against soil and wear; and in general to provide such a cushion construction which is rugged and sturdy, reasonably economical in manufacture and attractive in appearance.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front and side perspective view of a theater chair provided with an upholstered chair back made in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear and side perspective view of the same;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of parts of the upholstered chair back taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view of the same taken on lines 4-4 of FIGURES 1 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view of parts of the chair taken on line 55 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal sectional view of the outer shell of a chair back, illustrating a slightly modified form of construction.

Referring now in detail to this drawing, the theater type chair there shown generally comprises spaced, upright supporting standards 10 on which are mounted a chair back 11 and a chair seat 12 of the tip-up kind as shown. The chair seat 12 comprises a seat foundation or pan 13 of metal or plastic material and an upholstered seat cushion 14 mounted on the seat pan 13. The chair back 11 comprises a rear outer shell 15 preferably of molded plastic material, and an upholstered front panel generally designated 16 fitted into the outer shell 15.

Chairs of the theater type are made in several different widths, the most common widths being 19", 2G", 21" and 22". This is done for the purpose of making up rows of connected seating, in which the adjacent sides of adjoining chairs are supported on a common middle standard, with the rows varying in overall length to 'meet different conditions such as exist, for example, Where the theater aisles converge. Heretofore the outer shells of the chair backs were of stamped sheet metal and different sets of dies were required to make the backs of different widths. These dies were very costly. It would be even more costly to make different molds for molding plastic backs of different widths. The present invention contemplates, therefore, a method of making plastic chair backs of different desired widths which requires the initial molding of only one size. Although the method is herein shown and described in connection with the chair backs only, it will readily be seen that it is equally applicable to chair seats of different widths.

In accordance with the invention, the outer shell 15 of the chair back is initially formed in complementary plastic halves adapted for joining together to form a complete plastic outershell of desired maximum width, say 22", with the joint of the complete shell lying in its vertical center. When it is desired to make outer shells of less-than-maximum width, the meeting edges of the complementary halves are trimmed so that when joined the halves will form a completed outer shell of the desired width. For example, to make a completed outer shell of 21" width, /2" would be trimmed off each of the meeting edges of a pair of complementary halves. The complementary halves of all of the outer shells are joined together along their contiguous or meeting edges by heat-sealing, i.e. by the application of heat and pressure.

There is desirably applied to the outer surface of each completed outer shell, in overlying relation to the joint therein, a plastic trim strip 17 for concealing the joint and lending a more finished and attractive appearance to the chair back. This trim strip 17 is also applied to the outer shell by heat sealing or, as in the modification shown in FIGURE 6, the trim strip 17 may have studs 18 molded thereon which are projected through apertures 19 in the complementary halves of the outer shell and riveted over at 20 by the application of heat.

The inner, front, upholstered panel 16 is made in several widths conforming to the widths of the outer shells 15 so as to fit therein. Each upholstered panel 16 comprises a sheet metal back plate 21 so formed as to snugly fit within the forwardly extending side flanges 22 and top flange 23 of the outer shell. Padding 24 is disposed over the front surface of the back plate 21, and an upholstery cover 25 is stretched over the front surface of the padding and drawn around the peripheral edges of the back plate 21 and secured thereto by any suitable means (not shown). Metal reinforcing strips 26 are desirably secured as by welding to side flanges 27 on the metal back plate 21. The assembled panel 16 may be mounted on the supporting standards 10 as illustrated in FIGURE 5, wherein a stud 28 is engaged in a keyhole slot 29 in the standard 10 and passes inwardly through aligned apertures in the side flange 22 of the outer shell, in the upholstery cover 23 and in the side flange 27 of back plate 21, and is threaded into the adjacent reinforcing plate 26.

A unique feature of the invention resides in the top flange 23 of the outer shell 15 of the chair back, which is molded so as to extend forwardly adjacent the top of the upholstered panel 16 and then downwardly, at 30, a substantial distance so as to shield the top marginal portion of the upholstery cover 25 against soilage and wear by persons passing in the rear of the chair.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a novel construction adaptable for use in the making of backs and seats of chairs of the theater type, and while but several specific embodiments of the invention have been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details thereof may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. The method of making upholstered chair backs of different desired widths for receiving seat cushions,

which method comprises forming pairs of complementary I 3 ing at one side in a free edge and at the other side in an angularly-extending side wall, trimming the contiguous free edge portions or" a pair of complementary halves to adapt them for joining together to form complete outer shells of desired less-than-maximum width with the joint of each. shell lying in the vertical center thereof, fusing the free edges of the trimmed halvesunder heat and pressure to integrate said halves and form a complete shell, and applying inner upholstered panels of confornr ing widths to the completed outer shells.

2. The method of claim 1 in which each shell half has at its top a flange extending forwardly and downwardly over the inner upholstered panels.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the upholstered panels are introduced withinsaid top flange prior to the joining of the contiguous edges of the walls.

4. The method of claim 1 in which a trim strip is anchored to the outer surface of each completed outer shell in overlying relation to the joint therein.

5. The method of making upholstered chair backs of different desired widths and assembling cushions therein, which method comprises forming pairs of complementary plastic halves of outer shells adapted for joining together to form complete plastic outer shells of desired maximum width with the joint of each shell lying in the 2 vertical center thereof, each of said halves having a side flange and an integral singl wall extending laterally therefrom and terminating in a free edge, trimming the meeting edges of one ,of said pairs of complementary 5 halves to adapt themfor joining together to form complete outer shells of desired less-than-maximum 'width with the joint of each shell, lying in the vertical center thereof, the portion of the single wall being removed by trimming from each. of the halves being substantially 1 equal, fusing the contiguous edges of said trimmed halves by the application of heat and pressure thereto, and applying inner upholstered panels of conforming widths to the completed outer shells.

5 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING UPHOLSTERED CHAIR BACKS OF DIFFERENT DESIRED WIDTHS FOR RECEIVING SEAT CUSHIONS, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES FORMING PAIRS OF COMPLEMENTARY HALVES OF OUTER SHELLS ADAPTED FOR JOINING TOGETHER TO FORM COMPLETE OUTER SHELLS OF DESIRED MAXIMUM WIDTH WITH THE JOINT OF EACH SHELL LYING IN THE VERTICAL CENTER THEREOF, EACH HALF OF EACH PAIR CONSISTING OF A SINGLE WALL LYING IN A GENERALLY FLAT VERTICAL PLANE AND TERMINATING AT ONE SIDE IN A FREE EDGE AND AT THE OTHER SIDE IN AN ANGULARLY-EXTENDING SIDE WALL, TRIMMING THE CONTIGUOUS FREE EDGE PORTIONS OF A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARY HALVES TO ADAPT THEN FOR JOINING TOGETHER TO FORM COMPLETE OUTER SHELLS OF DESIRED LESS-THAN-MAXIMUM WIDTH WITH THE JOINT OF EACH SHELL LYING IN THE VERTICAL CENTER THEREOF, FUSING THE FREE EDGES OF THE TRIMMED HALVES UNDER HEAT AND PRESSURE TO INTEGRATE SAID HALVES AND FORM A COMPLETE SHELL, AND APPLYING INNER UPHOLSTERED PANELS OF CONFORMING WIDTHS TO THE COMPLETED OUTER SHELLS. 